www.zerohedge.com By Tyler Durden
China is believed to control 90% of global supplies of rare earth metals. In maintaining its monopoly on rare earth metals for the production of microchips, electronics, and electric motors, Beijing launched a mineral hunting satellite to explore the planet for new resources.
The satellite, called “Ziyuan-1 02E” or “five-meter optical satellite 02,” was launched on Sunday that can take pictures of the ground with a resolution of five meters, according to the China National Space Administration.
Ziyuan-1 is equipped with infrared, near-infrared, and hyperspectral sensors that will help China’s geological environment engineers identify places around the world rich in rare earth minerals.
